Shaolin Temple, Dengfeng, Henan

The Shaolin Temple stands in Dengfeng, Henan province. Founded in 495 during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), it takes its name from the dense woods at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain. Ancient trees tower overhead, and its halls stand in stately succession. The temple is revered as one of the cradles of Chinese Chan Buddhism and the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu.

West of the temple lies the Pagoda Forest, where the burial pagodas of eminent monks from successive dynasties stand in quiet profusion. It is the largest surviving complex of ancient burial pagodas in China. In 2010, the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in "The Centre of Heaven and Earth", including Shaolin Temple's main compound, Chuzu Temple and the Pagoda Forest, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. For more than a thousand years, Chan Buddhism and martial arts have flourished side by side here, their traditions passed down through the generations.

www.chinabound.cn
Travel with ease in China, and with meaning.